Twelve Chinese fishermen were charged with poaching offenses on Wednesday after their vessel ran aground on Tubbataha Reef, a UNESCO World Heritage site in the Philippines. According to the Philippines' GMA News, the fishermen could face up to 12 years in prison under Filipino law.

A member of the Philippine Coast Guard, left, talks to Chinese fishermen aboard their vessel on April 9, 2013.

Ted Aljibe / AFP - Getty Images

A protester donning a snorkel and holding placards attends a rally in front of the Chinese consular office in the financial district of Manila on April 10, 2013, after a Chinese fishing vessel ran aground off Tubbataha reef, around 1,000 miles from China's nearest major landmass.